1^\:^\? 


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HEROIC  DEEDS  OF  HEROIC  MEN: 
Abbott 


>■»/ 


Cp9T0.15 


-it.s. 


TRUE  CHIVALRY— BENJAMIN  H.PORTER, 


By  J .S.O .Abbott. 


Harper ^s 
Apr. 1867. 


Library  of 
The  University  of  North  Carolina 


COLLECTION  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINIANA 


ENDOWED  BY 

JOHN  SPRUNT  HILL 

of  the  Class  of  1889 


lp  9lo.7f.Ai3*- 


c.?- 


TRUE  CHIVALRY.— BENJAMIN  H.  PORTER. 


7-r*-f■/,^ 
559 


HEROIC  DEEDS  OF  HEROIC  MEN. 


BY  JOHN  S.  C.  ABBOTT. 


<3 

0- 


BENJAMIN    H.  POETEE. 

XVII.— TRUE  CHIVALRY.  BENJAMIN 
H.  PORTER. 

Birth.— Enters  Naval  School.— The  Trip.— Commence- 
ment of  the  Rebellion. — Roanoke  Expedition. — 
Blockading.— Admiral  Foote. — Anecdote.— Explor- 
ing Charleston  Harbor. — Torpedoes. — The  Rescue. 
— Attack  on  Sumter. — The  Capture. — Marched  to 
Columbia. — Imprisonment. — In  Irons. — Disappoint- 
ment and  Endurance. — The  Release. — Attack  upon 
Sumter. — Death. 

ONE  may  search  the  records  of  ancient  chiv- 
alry in  vain  for  a  career  more  brilliant  in 
heroism  than  that  of  the  young  patriot  sailor 
Benjamin  H.  Porter.  He  was  the  son  of  James 
G.  Porter  and  Sarah  Grosvener  his  wife,  and 
was  horn  at  Skeneateles,  Onondaga  County, 
New  York,  on  the  10th  of  July,  1844,  the 
youngest  of  six  sons.  When  he  was  four  years 
of  age  his  father  moved  to  Lockport,  and  there 
he  was  educated  until  his  fifteenth  year.  He 
was  then  only  remarkable  for  his  cheerful, 
amiable,  and  affectionate  spirit,  which  rendered 
him  a  universal  favorite. 

Like  all  adventurous  boys  he  yearned  for  a 
life  at  sea.  A  vacancy  occurring,  in  the  Con- 
gressional district  in  which  he  resided,  for  the 
United  States  Naval  School  at  Annapolis,  his 
friends  applied  to  obtain  the  appointment  for 
him.  The  Hon.  Silas  M.  Burroughs,  sitting 
member  of  Congress  for  that  district,  took  the 


very  proper  course  of  inviting  a  competitive  ex- 
amination of  the  young  men  who  were  applicants 
for  the  position.  After  an  exhaustive  and  thor- 
ough examination  of  a  large  class  young  Porter 
won  the  prize.  Reaching  Annapolis  in  Novem- 
ber, 1859,  he  was  there  exposed  to  another  ex- 
amination ;  and  though  half  the  class,  who  were 
examined  with  him,  were  rejected,  he  was  ad- 
mitted as  a  cadet,  and  was  immediately  placed 
upon  the  school-ship  Plymouth,  which  was  anch- 
ored in  the  bay. 

There  were  one  hundred  and  twelve  cadets 
in  the  class  which  he  joined.  He  remained 
there  until  the  following  June,  when  his  clars 
sailed  on  their  annual  cruise  to  initiate  them 
into  the  practical  duties  of  seamanship. 

On  the  1st  of  July  the  ship  put  out  to  sea. 
On  the  3d  they  encountered  a  tremendous  gale. 
The  ship  sprang  a -leak,  and  all  hands  were 
called  to  the  pumps.  They,  however,  reached 
Fayal,  in  the  Azores,  in  safety,  when  the  cadets 
were  relieved  from  their  toil  and  spent  a.  day 
luxuriously  on  shore,  climbing  the  mountains 
and  clattering  through  the  vine-clad  valleys 
upon  ponies  and  donkeys.  Each  of  these  lilli- 
putian  animals  had  an  attendant  who  clung  to 
his  tail  and  urged  him  onward  by  blows  and 
the  most  unintelligible  jargon.  Thence  they 
sailed  for  Cadiz,  in  Spain.  But  the  cruel  quar- 
antine cut  them  off  from  every  joy.  Their 
chagrin  was  aggravated  by  seeing  the  beautiful 
pleasure-grounds  across  the  bay  crowded  with 
groups  of  Spanisli  maidens,  graceful  as  fairies, 
beneath  whose  gossamer  veils  the  boys  longed 
to  peep. 

Making  the  best  of  their  disappointment  again 
they  weighed  anchor,  and  passing  by  the  Rock 
of  Gibraltar  and  the  renowned  Pillars  of  Her- 
cules, they  soon  ran  along  the  vine-clad  hills  of 
Madeira,  and  steering  for  the  Peak  of  Tene- 
riffe,  enjoyed  a  few  rapturous  hours  in  the  Ca- 
naries. Again  they  weighed  anchor  and  reach- 
ed Chesapeake  Bay  in  September,  where  they 
resumed  their  theoretical  studies  for  the  winter 
on  shore. 

The  storm  of  the  great  rebellion  was  now  be- 
ginning to  rise.  Eastern  Maryland  was  terri- 
bly agitated.  Many  of  the  people  embraced 
the  secession  cause,  and  bitter  dissensions  arose 
among  the  officers  and  cadets  of  the  school, 
many  of  whom  were  from  the  seceding  States. 
It  was  feared  that  the  traitors  in  the  school 
combining  with  those  on  the  shore  might  seize 
the  ship,  the  guns,  and  the  other  property  of 
the  United  States  belonging  to  the  Naval  School. 
The  officers  and  cadets  who  remained  loyal  gave 
up  all  their  ordinary  pursuits,  and  stood  guard 
night  and  day  at  their  battery  and  on  the  ship. 
At  length  troops  arrived  to  their  relief.  Then 
by  orders  from  Washington  the  pupils,  with  the 
effects  of  the  institution,  were  taken  on  board 


560 


HARPER  S  NEW  MONTHLY  MAGAZINE. 


the  Constitution,  and  she  sailed  for  New  York. 
Upon  her  arrival  there  they  were  ordered  to 
Newport,  Rhode  Island,  where  the  school  was 
re-established  in  a  region  safe  from  the  assaults 
of  treason.  The  great  civil  war  was  now  fairly 
inaugurated,  and  the  rebels  were  making  their 
attacks  upon  the  fortresses,  arsenals,  and  im- 
portant strategic  points  of  the  United  States 
with  such  ferocity  that  the  Government  needed 
the  services  of  every  able  and  patriotic  man. 

It  became  necessary  for  the  lads  of  the  naval 
school  to  abandon  their  studies  and  gird  on  the 
sword.  The  two  first  classes,  and  a  part  of  the 
third,  to  which  young  Porter  belonged,  were  or- 
dered to  active  service  as  midshipmen.  Ben- 
jamin, then  a  boy  of  sixteen,  was  assigned  to 
the  Roanoke,  under  Captain  Nicholson,  and 
proceeded  on  blockade  duty  on  the  Atlantic 
coast.  It  soon  became  necessary  to  take  the 
Lieutenants  to  command  new  A-essels,  and  this 
boy  performed  a  Lieutenant's  task.  He  was 
so  faithful,  skillful,  and  successful  in  these  du- 
ties as  to  win  the  highest  approval  of  his  su- 
perior officers.  The  captain,  on  leaving  the 
ship,  voluntarily  gave  him  the  following  testi- 
monial : 

"I  can  not  leave  the  ship  without  expressing  to  you 
the  great  satisfaction  3-011  have  given  while  on  board 
ship.  Your  duties  have  always  been  performed  with 
alacrity  and  skill,  and  I  have  no  hesitancy  in  recom- 
mending you  to  any  one  as  a  very  efficient  young 
officer." 

Commodore  Marston  succeeded  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  Roanoke.  Young  Porter  imme- 
diately won  his  accustomed  place  in  the  new 
officer's  affection  and  esteem.  The  steamer 
unfortunately  broke  a  shaft,  and  was  for  some 
weeks  at  Hampton  Roads  engaged  in  repairs. 
The  Burnside  expedition  was  then  fitting  out 
for  the  waters  of  the  North  Carolina  Sounds, 
though  no  one  but  the  commanding  officers 
knew  its  destination.  Young  Porter,  chafing 
under  inaction,  petitioned  for  the  privilege  of 
accompanying  the  expedition.  The  high  rec- 
ommendations he  presented  from  Commodores 
Marston  and  Rowan  secured  his  prompt  accept- 
ance. And  young  as  he  was  he  was  directed 
to  prepare  and  take  command  of  six  ships' 
launches,  each  with  howitzers,  and  all  carrying 
a  crew  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  to  accom- 
pany the  expedition  for  service  in  shallow  wa- 
ter. 

The  magnificent  squadron  entered  Hatteras 
Inlet  January  13,  1862.  On  the  7th  of  Febru- 
ary they  commenced  their  attack  upon  Roanoke 
Island.  Young  Porter  gallantly  landed  his  bat- 
tery and  the  sailors  to  man  his  guns  at  Ashby's 
Cove.  His  pieces  were  dragged  through  a  mo- 
rass to  a  position  where  he  could  protect  the 
other  troops  which  had  landed,  and  there  he 
stood  guard  all  of  a  cold,  dark,  freezing  night, 
drenched  by  a  northeast  storm.  At  daylight 
the  next  morning  he  advanced  with  his  battery 
on  a  line  with  the  skirmishers.  Manning  the 
drag  ropes,  they  pressed  forward  at  the  double 
quick  until  they  came  in  sight  of  the  rebel  bat- 


teries, when  they  opened  a  brisk  fire  of  round 
shot,  grape,  and  shell,  receiving  a  deadly  fire  in 
return. 

Here  was  a  lad  of  but  seventeen  years  of  age 
in  the  midst  of  one  of  the  fiercest  battles  of  the 
war,  in  charge  of  a  battery  of  six  ]  2-pound  boat 
howitzers.  He  had  led  his  men  in  advance  of 
the  lines.  His  zeal  was  so  intense  that  he  ut- 
terly disregarded  all  peril.  When  at  one  gun 
every  man  was  killed  or  disabled  by  the  fire 
from  the  rebel  fort,  he  stood  alone  for  an  hour 
at  that  gun  loading  and  firing.  Eor  two  hours 
this  conflict  lasted ;  and  he  remained  undaunted 
at  his  post  until  the  foe  surrendered.  His  im- 
perial spirit  gave  him  perfect  command  of  his 
men ;  his  youthful  appearance  and  almost  femi- 
nine beauty  won  their  love  ;  his  utter  fearless- 
ness commanded  their  admiration  and  roused 
their  enthusiasm.  He  possessed  that  rare  elec- 
tric power,  so  singularly  developed  by  Napoleon, 
which  bound  his  men  to  him  with  almost  a 
supernatural  affection.  It  was  said  that  there 
was  not  one  of  his  men  who  would  not  readily 
have  died  for  him.  The  exaltation  of  his  na- 
ture may  be  inferred  from  the  following  extract 
from  one  of  his  letters,  showing  the  spirit  with 
which  he  entered  into  the  battle.  It  was  not 
the  love  of  fighting ;  it  was  not  the  love  of  ad- 
venture ;  it  was  not  the  desire  to  obtain  renown 
for  bravery.  It  was  the  highest  and  holiest  im- 
pulse which  can  move  a  human  heart,  which 
thus  ennobled  him.  This  youth  of  seventeen 
years  wrote : 

"  If  I  fall  remember  it  is  for  my  country  and  the  no- 
ble cause  of  liberty.  For  that  I  came  into  the  coun- 
try's service  ;  to  fight,  and,  if  necessary,  to  lay  down  my 
life.  And  I  assure  you  that  I  am  not  only  glad  of  the 
opportunity,  but  if  any  thing  is  to  be  gained  for  my 
country,  I  will  gladly  welcome  any  fate  that  awaits 
me." 

Admiral  Goldsborough,  as  he  took  the  brave 
boy's  hand  after  the  battle,  greeted  him  with 
the  words  :  "Young  man,  you  have  fairly  won 
your  epaulets,  and,  as  sure  as  there  is  a  God  in 
heaven,  you  shall  have  them." 

General  Burnside,  in  his  report,  said:  "The 
skill  with  which  the  Dahlgren  howitzers  were 
handled  by  Midshipman  Porter  is  deserving  of 
the  highest  praise,  and  I  take  great  pleasure  in 
recommending  him  to  the  favorable  notice  of  the 
Navy  Department." 

General  Foster  gave  also  his  tribute  of  com- 
mendation, saying:  "I  w'ould  notice  here  the 
gallant  conduct  of  Midshipman  Benjamin  H. 
Porter,  who  commanded  the  light  guns  from 
the  ships'  launches,  and  was  constantly  under 
fire.  He  deserves  a  commission  for  his  admi- 
rable conduct  on  that  occasion." 

In  Admiral  Goldsborough's  official  report  he 
again  takes  occasion  to  speak,  as  follows,  of  the 
heroism  of  this  young  patriot : 

"I  deem  it  but  justice  to  this  interesting  youth  to 
say,  that  both  Generals  Burnside  and  Foster  assured 
me  in  conversation,  immediately  after  the  battle,  that 
his  gallantry  was  very  conspicuous  on  the  occasion. 
The  battery  under  his  command,  of  six  naval  howitz- 
ers, was  placed  in  the  advance,  and  it  was  there  handled 
with  a  degree  of  skill  and  daring  which  not  only  con- 


TRUE  CHIVALRY.— BENJAMIN  H.  PORTER. 


561 


■■■■■■■■I 


tributed  largely  to  the  success  of  the  day  but  won  the 
admiration  of  all  who  witnessed  the  display.  No  other 
field-pieces  were  employed  by  our  army  in  the  engage- 
ment. Mr.  Porter  was  but  seventeen  years  of  age, 
and,  in  my  belief,  no  father  in  the  land  can,  with  truth, 
boast  of  a  nobler  youth  as  a  son.  I  sincerely  trust  that 
he  may  be  regarded  by  the  Department  as  highly  wor- 
thy of  its  lasting  consideration,  and  that  he  may  have 
bestowed  on  him  ail  that  his  merits  deserve." 

The  affection  which  this  young  man  uncon- 
sciously drew  to  himself  hy  his  eminently  loving 
and  lovable  nature  may  be  inferred  from  the 
following  letter,  which  was  written  to  him  by 
Commodore  Marston  of  the  Roanoke,  and  signed 
by  every  officer  of  the  ship  : 

"  You  have  no  idea  how  delighted  we  all  are  to  hear 
of  your  gallant  and  meritorious  conduct  in  the  late 
action  in  North  Carolina.    We  all  agree  that  you  have 
Vol.  XXXIV.— No.  203.— P  p 


justly  won  your  epaulets ;  and  hope  that  they,  the 
emblem  of  devotion,  trust,  patriotism,  and  fidelity, 
may  be  immediately  awarded  to  you  for  that  unflinch- 
ing daring,  reckless  courage,  and  pure  devotion  to  our 
noble  cause  which  have  distinguished  you  in  the  late 
action." 

After  the  battle  of  Roanoke  he  made  a  short 
visit  to  New  York.  His  fame  had  gone  before 
him.  Entirely  unconscious  that  he  had  at- 
tained celebrity,  the  modest  youth  took  a  room 
at  the  Metropolitan  Hotel.  The  lamented  Ad- 
miral Foote,  veteran  hereof  the  Mississippi, 
chanced  to  be  there  with  his  family.  When 
young  Porter  entered  the  dining-hall  he  was 
recognized  by  the  Admiral,  who  sent  a  servant 
with  his  card  to  invite  him  to  take  a  seat  with 
himself  and  family  at  his  table.  He  of  course 
accepted  the  invitation.      The  marked  atten- 


562 


HARPER'S  NEW  MONTHLY  MAGAZINE. 


tion  of  the  Admiral  drew  all  eyes  upon  him. 
The  general  inquiry  throughout  the  crowded 
hotel  was,  "Who  can  he  be?"  It  soon  became 
known  that  he  was  the  young  hero  of  Roanoke, 
and  he  thus  became  the  observed  of  all  observers. 
This  celebrity  so  much  annoyed  his  modest  na- 
ture that  he  quietly  removed  to  the  St.  Nicholas. 

Admiral  Paulding,  learning  that  he  was  in 
the  city,  expressed  regret  that  the  young  man 
had  not  called  upon  him.  When  this  was  men- 
tioned to  young  Porter  he  replied,  "  I  have  no 
claims  upon  Admiral  Paulding's  notice,  and 
certainly  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to  intrude  my- 
self upon  his  attention."  The  Admiral,  how- 
ever, sent  a  special  message  for  him  to  call, 
which  he  of  course  obeyed.  After  an  extreme- 
ly pleasant  interview  he  returned  to  his  mo- 
ther's apartment.  "Why  is  it,"  said  he,  " that 
every  one  is  so  kind  to  me  ?  I  have  done  no- 
thing to  merit  it."  She  playfully  replied,  "I 
do  not  know,  unless  it  is  because  you  are  a 
good  boy  and  try  to  do  your  duty." 

His  friends  in  Lockport  sent  him  an  elegant 
sword  as  a  testimonial  of  their  affection  and 
their  pride  in  his  achievements.  That  sword, 
so  nobly  won,  was  his  companion  in  his  "brief 
future  career,  and  was  placed  upon  his  coffin 
when  he  was  borne  to  his  burial. 

Returning  to  the  navy  after  this  brief  respite, 
he  was  promoted  to  Acting  Master,  and  was 
placed  in  command  of  the  gun-boat  Ellis.  It 
would  be  difficult  to  find  another  instance  of 
one  so  young  intrusted  with  responsibilities  so 
great — responsibilities  which  would  task  the  en- 
ergies of  the  most  mature  mind  and  the  most 
manly  frame.  With  vigilance  which  never 
slept  he  explored  the  numerous  rivers,  bays, 
and  inlets  of  those  vast  inland  seas  which  wash 
the  coast  of  North  Carolina.  In  the  capture  of 
Fort  Macon  he  took  an  active  part,  command- 
ing a  floating  battery.  While  engaged  in  block- 
ade duty  in  the  waters  of  Pamlico  and  Albe- 
marle sounds,  he  one  day  caught  sight  of  a  rebel 
craft,  and  in  the  pursuit  gained  upon  her  so 
rapidly  that  the  rebel  captain  ran  his  vessel 
ashore,  and  the  crew  endeavored  to  escape  by 
the  boats.  They  were,  however,  all  cut  off  and 
captured.  As  they  were  brought  on  board  the 
Ellis  one  of  the  prisoners  was  found  mortally 
wounded.  Young  Porter,  to  his  great  surprise, 
recognized  in  the  bleeding,  dying  young  pris- 
oner one  of  his  classmates  at  the  Naval  School, 
who  had  embraced  the  cause  of  the  rebellion. 
Deeply  affected  by  the  incident,  he  took  the 
captive  to  his  own  room,  and  nursed  him  with 
the  utmost  tenderness  until  he  died. 

In  November,  1862,  he  was  ordered  to  report 
to  Admiral  Du  Pont,  at  Port  Royal.  Here  he 
was  again  for  a  few  months  employed  in  the 
blockade  service,  on  .the  ship  Canandaigua.  He 
acquitted  himself  so  acceptably,  and  displayed 
such  energy  and  vigilance,  that  in  July,  1863, 
he  was  selected  by  the  Admiral  to  perform  the 
exceedingly  difficult  and  perilous  duty  of  ex- 
ploring Charleston  harbor,  under  the  guns  of  all 
its  innumerable  batteries  and  its  fleet  of  patrol 


steamers,  to  search  out  its  obstructions.  This 
was  a  duty  which  could  only  be  performed  in 
dark  and  often  stormy  nights,  when  the  adven- 
turous party,  in  their  open  boats,  were  tossed 
by  the  waves  and  drenched  by  the  rain.  That 
one  so  young  should  have  been  selected  for  a 
duty  so  arduous,  so  full  of  peril,  and  requiring 
such  combined  energies  both  of  daring  and  of 
prudence,  is  one  of  the  highest  possible  compli- 
ments which  could  be  paid  to  the  reputation  of 
this  young  man. 

For  twenty-four  successive  nights  he  was  en- 
gaged in  this  enterprise.  During  every  mo- 
ment of  this  time  he  was  exposed  to  the  most 
imminent  danger  from  the  torpedoes,  picket- 
boats,  gun-boats,  forts,  and  batteries  of  the  en- 
emy. So  deeply  did  he  feel  his  responsibility, 
and  with  such  entireness  of  consecration  did  he 
devote  himself  to  the  work,  that  while  the  labor 
lasted  he  lost  a  pound  of  flesh  each  day. 

Every  night  he  found  rebel  picket-boats  on 
the  watch,  and  was  frequently  chased  by  them. 
On  the  occasion  of  a  general  night  bombard- 
ment of  Wagner,  which  attracted  the  attention 
of  all  in  that  direction,  he  slipped  around  in  his 
boat  between  Sumter  and  Moultrie,  and  for  three 
hours  was  uninterrupted  in  his  explorations. 
He  stood  in  the  bow  of  the  boat,  in  darkness 
which  was  only  illumined  by  the  flash  of  the 
guns,  with  his  boat-hook  feeling  for  and  dodg- 
ing torpedoes.  At  length  he  came  across  a 
buoy.  Not  knowing  but  that  it  was  attached 
to  a  torpedo,  he  carefully  approached  and  threw 
a  rope  over  it,  and  then,  backing  some  distance, 
he  pulled  upon  it.  As  it  proved  to  be  harm- 
less he  again  approached,  and  feeling  with  his 
boat-hook  found  it  supported  a  large  chain. 
Following  the  chain  under  water  he  soon  came 
to  other  buoys  and  timbers,  stretching  across 
the  channel.  Following  these  up  he  found  the 
opening  for  blockade-runners.  Carefully  mak- 
ing observations,  to  be  sure  of  finding  it  again, 
he  returned  to  the  fleet  and  reported  to  the  Ad- 
miral, offering  to  pilot  the  Monitors  through. 

One  night  twelve  large  yawl-boats  were  sent 
out  from  our  fleet,  each  containing  about  twen- 
ty-five men  and  a  heavy  boat-howitzer,  to  cruise 
between  Sumter  and  Cumming's  Point,  to  pre- 
vent any  rebel  communications  between  them. 
It  was  a  dark  night,  and  the  utmost  vigilance 
was  necessary,  since  the  rebels  had  picket-boats, 
driven  very  fast  by  steam,  constantly  patroling 
the  harbor.  Two  of  our  Monitors  had  approach- 
ed the  rebel  forts  as  near  as  they  could  in  safe- 
ty, that  they  might  assist  the  yawl-boats  in  case 
of  need.  Ensign  Porter,  in  command  of  one 
or  two  small  boats,  which  were  less  exposed  to 
observation,  and  which  could  run  in  the  shoal 
water  near  the  shore,  where  the  rebel  gun-boats 
could  not  pursue  them,  and  in  the  gloom  of 
night  could  not  see  them,  had  crept  up  beneath 
the  guns  of  Sumter  and  almost  to  the  wharves 
of  Charleston.  With  muffled  oars  and  a  strong 
pull  he  came  rushing  back  to  one  of  the  Moni- 
tors with  the  tidings  that  a  rebel  steamer  was 
under  way  and  was  coming  down  the  harbor. 


TRUE  CHIVALEY.— BENJAMIN  H.  PORTER. 


563 


■IP 

WBWm 
iffli 


A  larger  boat  was  at  once  pushed  ahead  on  a 
scout.  It  was  so  dark  that  nothing  could  be 
seen  at  a  distance  of  a  hundred  feet.  It  was  a 
windy  night,  and  the  dashing  of  the  surge  and 
the  breaking  of  the  waves  prevented  any  ordi- 
nary noise  from  being  heard.  Suddenly  a  rebel 
steamer  emerged  from  the  darkness,  rushing 
down  directly  upon  the  scout-boat,  which  had 
been  sent  from  the  Wabash.  The  rebel  steam- 
er caught  sight  of  the  boat,  fired  a  gun  into  her, 
and  dashing  on,  struck  the  boat  on  the  bow, 
breaking  her  to  pieces.  The  men  leaped  into 
the  water,  and  as  the  steamer  swept  by  volleys 
of  musketry  were  fired  upon  them  while  strug- 
gling in  the  waves.  Ensign  Porter,  hearing  the 
report  of  the  howitzer,  the  firing  of  the  musketry, 
and  the  cry  of  the  drowning,  utterly  regardless 
of  his  own  danger,  ordered  his  men  to  bend  to 


their  oars  to  rescue  the  crew.  There  is  some- 
thing truly  sublime  in  the  vision  of  that  fragile 
boy  of  eighteen,  in  that  dark  and  stormy  night, 
with  no  eye  to  see  him  but  the  eye  of  his  God, 
with  no  impulse  to  urge  him  but  his  own  noble 
soul,  rushing  into  the  very  jaws  of  destruction 
and  death  to  save  his  drowning  comrades.  In 
a  moment  he  was  in  the  midst  of  them.  Eight 
he  dragged  from  the  water  into  his  boat.  The 
steamer  had  actually  passed  over  them.  It  now 
turned  to  complete  its  work,  and  yet  young 
Porter,  with  apparently  as  much  coolness  as  if 
in  his  father's  parlor,  flashed  the  light  of  his 
dark  lantern  all  around  over  the  waves  to  ascer- 
tain if  any  more  drowning  men  could  be  dis- 
covered ;  though  he  knew  full  well  that  those 
gleams  would  but  guide  the  on-rushing  rebel 
steamer  down  upon  him. 


564 


HARPER'S  NEW  MONTHLY  MAGAZINE. 


The  flash  of  his  lantern  -revealed  to  him  the 
steamer  heading  directly  for  his  boat.  By  this 
time  there  was  a  general  alarm  in  the  Union 
fleet.  The  light  of  Porter's  lamp  had  revealed 
the  rebel  gun-boat  to  the  Catskill,  and  she 
opened  upon  her  with  her  ponderous  guns.  The 
gun-boat  could  not  for  a  moment  cope  with  such 
an  antagonist,  and  putting  on  all  steam  she  fled 
back  into  the  harbor,  while  at  the  same  moment 
young  Porter,  with  the  rescued  crew,  plunged 
into  the  gloom  of  the  storm  and  of  the  night, 
and  returned  to  the  fleet  in  safety. 

This  is  but  a  specimen  of  the  services  our 
hero  rendered  in  these  twenty-four  nights  of 
unexampled  toil.  He  would  sometimes  return 
to  the  fleet  so  exhausted  that  his  crew  would 
have  to  lift  him  from  his  boat  and  lay  him  like 
a  child  in  his  berth,  administering  stimulants  to 
restore  him. 

This  was  a  period  of  intense  activity  in  the 
harbor.  There  were  daily  bombardments,  and 
earth  and  ocean  seemed  to  shake  beneath  the 
tempest  of  war. 

Ensign  Porter,  after  an  hour  or  two  of  sleep, 
would  be  again  found  on  the  gun-deck,  com- 
manding his  section  of  guns  in  action,  stripped 
to  shirt  and  trowsers,  black  with  smoke  and 
powder,  sighting  every  gun.  His  spirits  were 
always  elastic  and  joyous  ;  never  a  complaining 
word  or  a  confession  of  fatigue  or  a  downcast 
countenance.  The  bombardment  from  our  fleet 
and  land  batteries  had  crumbled  the  walls  of 
Sumter  into  ruins.  Still  those  ruins  afforded  im- 
pregnable protection  to  the  rebel  garrison,  who 
in  casemates  of  rock  manned  its  guns.  Admiral 
Dahlgren  deemed  it  advisable,  before  attempt- 
ing to  penetrate  the  harbor  with  his  ships,  to 
get  full  possession  of  the  fort,  which  seemed  to 
be  only  a  mass  of  crumbling  ruins.  He  organ- 
ized an  expedition  of  boats  to  storm  the  fortress 
in  a  night  attack.  It  was  a  very  perilous  en- 
terprise, for  the  garrison  could  open  upon  the 
assailants  with  grape  and  canister,  and  all  the 
surrounding  rebel  forts  could  concentrate  upon 
them  the  most  deadly  fire. 

Though  the  result  of  the  expedition  could 
not  but  be  doubtful,  the  importance  of  the  en- 
terprise was  sufficient  to  warrant  the  hazard. 
Ensign  Porter,  ever  eager  to  lead  where  the 
blows  fell  thickest  and  fastest,  implored  per- 
mission to  join  the  undertaking.  Commodore 
Rowan,  aware  of  the  priceless  value  of  such  a 
life,  very  reluctantly  gave  his  consent.  Thirty 
boats,  carrying  seven  hundred  men,  were  col- 
lected ;  and  on  the  night  of  September  7,  1863, 
the  attempt  was  made.  The  rebels,  with  their 
glasses,  could  see  the  boats  collected  from  the 
fleet,  and  made  every  preparation  to  meet  the 
assault.  They  sent  down  from  Charleston  a  re- 
inforcement of  three  hundred  men,  with  every 
needful  provision  to  repel  the  assault ;  they  also 
brought  some  gun-boats  into  position,  and  had 
all  the  adjoining  forts  in  readiness  to  overwhelm, 
by  a  concentrated  fire,  the  assailing  party  with 
swift  destruction. 

In  the  darkness  of  the  night  stealthily  the 


boats  approached  Fort  Sumter.  Suddenly  there 
burst  upon  them  such  a  storm  of  iron  and  of  lead 
from  the  garrison,  the  gun-boats,  and  the  bat- 
teries as  no  mortal  valor  could  withstand.  This 
tornado  of  war  swept  every  boat  back  but  three. 
One  of  these  three  was  commanded  by  Benja- 
min H.  Porter.  These  three  boats  reached  the 
debris  of  the  fort.  A  hundred  men  sprang  from 
them  upon  the  broken  mound  of  brick  and  stone, 
with  the  deafening  thunder  of  artillery  filling 
the  air,  and  with  round  shot,  grape-shot,  and 
hand-grenades  flying  in  all  directions  around 
them.  The  wounded,  the  dead,  and  trails  of 
blood  marked  their  path  as  they  ascended  the 
rugged  acclivity  a  distance  of  forty  feet.  Here 
they  unexpectedly  encountered  a  perpendicular 
wall  16  feet  high,  with  its  top  crowded  with 
rebel  sharp-shooters.  They  threw  down  hand- 
grenades  which,  bursting  in  the  boats,  blew 
them  to  pieces.  These  grenades  also  fell  with 
fearful  destruction  into  the  disordered  ranks  of 
the  assailants.  At  the  same  time  fire-balls  were 
thrown  down  which  lighted  up  the  whole  scene 
as  bright  as  day,  enabling  the  garrison  to  take 
unerring  aim  at  the  little  handful  of  men  strug- 
gling at  such  fearful  odds.  Our  brave  tars 
sheltered  themselves  as  well  as  possible  behind 
the  debris  of  the  battered  walls,  and,  refusing 
to  surrender,  continued  the  fight  for  two  hours, 
hoping  the  boats  would  return  or  the  fleet  come 
iip  to  their  assistance.  But  no  help  could  be 
sent  them,  and  after  the  loss  of  many  men  the 
remnant  were  forced  to  surrender  and  were 
marched  into  the  fort  as  captives. 

The  commander  could  not  but  admire  the 
gallantry  they  had  displayed,  and  received  them 
with  much  courtesy.  "Gentlemen,"  said  he, 
to  the  officers,  "you  are  unexpected  guests. 
But  I  will  entertain  you  to  the  best  of  my  abil- 
ity." 

The  next  day  they  were  allowed  to  send  to 
the  fleet  for  clothing  and  money,  and  were  then 
dispatched  by  steamer  to  Charleston.  As  they 
landed  upon  the  wharf,  and  were  marched 
through  the  streets  to  the  jail,  the  whole  popu- 
lation of  the  city  crowded  around  them  with 
exidtation.  They  were  soon  after  removed  for 
safe  keeping  to  Columbia,  South  Carolina,  and 
there  this  heroic  young  man  and  his  brave  com- 
rades were  subjected  by  their  barbarous  foe  not 
to  the  treatment  of  prisoners  of  war,  but  they 
were  shut  up  in  close  confinement  like  felons  in 
a  jail.  For  fourteen  months  Benjamin  Porter 
endured  these  woes,  with  a  resolution  of  spirit 
which  never  for  one  moment  flagged.  At  first 
he  was  sanguine  in  the  hope  that  an  exchange 
would  soon  be  effected ;  but  as  the  dreary 
months  of  imprisonment  rolled  on  and  all  those 
hopes  died  away  plans  of  escape  began  to  be 
meditated.  With  long  and  perilous  toil  they 
contrived  to  dig  a  tunnel  under  the  hearth  to 
the  outside  wall,  ingeniously  concealing  their 
operations  from  their  jailer.  They  had  so  far 
succeeded  in  this  enterprise  that  the  work  of 
one  more  day  would  have  carried  them  so  far 
that,  in  a  dark  night,  they  could  have  broken 


TRUE  CHIVALRY.— BENJAMIN  H.  PORTER. 


565 


through  outside  of  their  prison  walls.  Though 
they  would  then  have  been  in  the  very  heart  of 
rebeldom,  they  doubted  not  that  their  sagacity 
and  energy  would  enable  them  to  elude  their 
foes  and  escape  to  a  land  of  freedom.  When 
one  of  his  companions  suggested  the  ar/parent 
hopelessness,  even  if  he  escaped  from  the  pris- 
on, of  ever  reaching  from  such  a  distance  the 
Union  lines,  he  replied  : 

"No  matter;  the  enjoyment  of  a  sense  of 
freedom  and  of  Heaven's  pure  air  for  one  day, 
or  one  hour,  is  sufficient  to  warrant  all  the  toil 
and  all  the  exposure  to  recapture  or  death ! " 

Just  at  this  time  their  plan  was  discovered — 
betrayed,  as  was  believed,  by  a  traitor  in  the 
building.  Bitter  indeed,  almost  heart  and  hope 
crushing,  was  their  disappointment.     It  is  said  I 


that  sorrows  go  in  troops.  Porter  had  now  been 
three  months  in  captivity  when  a  new  and  very 
terrible  calamity  befell  him.  The  rebel  Gov- 
ernment, as  an  act  of  reprisal  for  the  imprison- 
ment as  pirates  of  some  rebel  privateers,  or- 
dered two  officers  at  Columbia — Lieutenant 
Williams  and  Ensign  Porter  —  to  be  put  into 
close  confinement  in  irons,  as  hostages.  By 
some  misunderstanding  the  rebel  privateersmen 
had  been  thus  treated.  The  matter,  however, 
was  promptly  brought  to  the  notice  of  our  Gov- 
ernment, and  the  assumed  pirates  were  released 
from  irons.  But  it  so  happened  that  at  this 
time,  for  several  weeks,  there  was  a  rupture  of 
all  communication  between  the  two  hostile  par- 
ties. Consequently  these  two  officers  (Lieutenant 
Williams  and  Ensign  Porter)  remained  in  irons, 


566 


HARPER'S  NEW  MONTHLY  MAGAZINE. 


in  utter  solitude  and  in  close  confinement,  in  a 
cold  and  gloomy  cell,  without  fire,  bed,  or  chair, 
from  early  in  December  to  the  15th  of  March. 
The  clanking  of  their  chains  at  every  move 
they  made  could  be  heard  distinctly  by  their 
comrades  in  the  adjoining  room.  In  the  fol- 
lowing terms  this  brave-hearted,  uncomplain- 
ing boy- — cold,  hungry,  and  fettered — wrote  to 
his  father : 

"  Lieutenant  E.  P.  Williams  and  myself  are  in  irons 
and  close  confinement,  held  as  hostages  for  Acting- 
Masters  Braile  andM'Guire,  of  the  Southern  navy,  now, 
as  I  am  informed,  confined  at  Fort  M 'Henry  to  be 
tried  as  pirates.  I  wish  you  would  see  what  you  can 
do  for  me  ;  for  although  we  are  as  comfortable  as  can 
be  under  the  circumstances,  still  we  are  far  from  being 
comfortable." 

He  knew  well  what  would  be  the  throbbings 
of  a  father's  anxious  heart  and  of  a  mother's  ten- 
der love  did  they  know  the  sufferings  which 
their  child  was  enduring.  He  would  therefore 
conceal  his  anguish,  and  only  let  them  know 
just  so  much  as  was  necessary  to  guide  to  ef- 
forts for  his  relief.  It  was  not,  however,  until 
March,  1864,  that  the  chains  were  stricken  from 
his  limbs,  and  he  was  cheered  by  the  tidings 
that  he  was  to  be  removed  to  Richmond,  there 
to  be  exchanged.  But  a  new  disappointment 
fell  upon  him.  The  advance  of  General  Butler 
up  the  James  River,  and  the  opening  of  Grant's 
magnificent  and  final  campaign  before  Rich- 
mond, broke  off  communications.  A  long  and 
tedious  summer  of  continued  imprisonment  en- 
sued, wearing  much  upon  the  health  and  forti- 
tude of  all  the  prisoners.  But  it  is  their  unit- 
ed testimony  that  through  all  these  lingering 
months  of  suffering  not  a  complaining  word  es- 
caped the  lips  of  Ensign  Porter.  His  generous 
sympathy,  his  happy,  hopeful  spirit  so  cheered 
the  sinking  hearts  of  his  comrades  that  they 
regarded  him  almost  as  an  angel  of  consolation. 

It  so  happened  that  there  wras  a  young  lady 
resident  in  Columbia  who  had  known  Ensign 
Porter  in  his  favored  home  of  competence  and 
refinement  in  the  North.  Learning  accident- 
ally of  his  incarceration,  she  applied  for  permis- 
sion to  see  him,  but  was  peremptorily  refused. 
She,  however,  contrived  to  open  a  correspond- 
ence with  him,  occasionally  sent  him  some  com- 
forts, and  at  last,  by  her  generous  persistence, 
induced  the  friends  in  Columbia  of  a  rebel  officer 
who  was  confined  on  Johnson's  Island,  in  Lake 
Erie,  to  pay  Ensign  Porter  $300,  upon  his 
promise  that  his  friends  at  the  North  should 
remit  the  equivalent  to  their  relative.  She  was 
enabled  to  make  such  a  representation  of  the 
ability  and  honor  of  the  family,  that  the  verbal 
promise  of  the  young  captive  was  deemed  am- 
ple security.  This  money  contributed  much  to 
the  comfort  not  only  of  Ensign  Porter  but  to 
that  also  of  his  companions.  He  was  now  able 
to  write  home ;  but  the  only  complaint  to  be 
found  in  his  letters  was  "that,  at  his  age,  he 
could  not  afford  to  lose  so  much  time  while 
there  was  so  much  active  sen-ice  to  be  done." 

In  the  winter  of  1S63  General  Burnside  ar- 
rested  a  rebel  officer  found  recruiting  in  our 


lines  in  Kentucky.  He  was  tried  by  court- 
martial  and  executed.  Soon  after,  the  rebels 
found  a  Captain  Harris,  of  East  Tennessee,  en- 
gaged in  the  same  business  within  lines  which 
they  claimed  as  theirs.  Pending  reference  to 
Richmond  for  confirmation  of  the  sentence  of 
death  which  a  court-martial  had  pronounced 
upon  him,  he  was  confined  in  irons  in  a  room 
opening  from  one  in  which  the  naval  officers 
of  the  Sumter  expedition  were  confined.  He 
had  been  there  several  months  when  these  offi- 
cers arrived.  Ensign  Porter,  on  being  relieved 
from  irons  and  returned  to  his  old  room,  suc- 
ceeded with  his  jack-knife  in  removing  or 
springing  the  lock  of  the  door  of  Captain  Har- 
ris's room.  Then,  after  much  effort,  he  taught 
him  how  to  slip  his  irons  off  and  on  again.  This 
was  to  him  an  immense  relief,  as  he  would  slip 
them  on  only  when  the  jailer  w'as  about  to  enter 
the  room.  When  Ensign  Porter  and  his  asso- 
ciate officers  came  North  they  left  Captain  Har- 
ris still  in  his  room,  liable  any  day  to  be  led  out 
to  be  hung ;  and  there  he  remained,  with  a 
brave  and  manly  heart,  this  terrible  doom  ever 
impending  over  him,  until  the  approach  of  Gen- 
eral Sherman's  army  in  the  spring  of  1865. 

In  the  confusion  of  these  tumultuous  scenes, 
when  the  sweep  of  Sherman's  columns  was 
spreading  dismay  in  all  directions,  the  jail  tool, 
fire  in  the  night  and  was  entirely  consumed. 
In  the  morning  Captain  Harris's  shackles  were 
found  among  the  glowing  embers,  and  it  was 
supposed  that  he  had  miserably  perished  in  the 
flames.  But  the  brave  Captain,  in  the  confu- 
sion of  the  fire,  and  aided  by  the  dismay  which 
then  agitated  all  Southern  hearts,  had  quietly 
dropped  his  shackles,  walked  forth  into  the 
streets,  and  made  a  straight  path  for  his  feet  to 
our  army  lines  at  Wilmington.  Here  he  met 
with  warmest  congratulations  some  of  those 
friends  who  had  so  sadly  left  him  at  Columbi:: 
a  prisoner  in  chains  awaiting  the  scaffold. 

In  October,  1864,  an  arrangement  was  effect- 
ed for  the  exchange  of  all  the  naval  officers 
and  men  captured  at  Fort  Sumter.  Mr.  Porter 
emptied  his  pockets  of  all  his  money,  and  gave 
all  his  spare  clothes  and  other  effects  to  his 
friend  Colonel  Payne,  a  distinguished  officer  of 
the  One  Hundredth  New  York  Volunteers,  who 
had  shared  his  imprisonment,  but  who  was  not 
permitted  to  share  his  release.* 

*  I  can  not  refrain  here  from  paying  a  brief  tribute 
of  respect  and  affection  to  Colonel  L.  S.  Payne,  who 
had  done  so  much  and  has  suffered  so  much  for  his 
country.  While  Ensign  Porter  was  reconnoitring  the 
fortifications  and  positions  of  the  enemy  in  Charles- 
ton harbor  Colonel  Payne  was  engaged  in  the  same 
service  in  the  labyrinth  of  creeks  south  of  Sumter. 
These  two  officers  were  summoned  to  meet  on  board 
Admiral  Dahlgren's  ship  for  concerted  action.  Unfor- 
tunately the  night  before  the  appointed  meeting  Col- 
onel Payne  was  shot  through  the  neck  and  captured. 
They  soon  met  as  captives  in  a  rebel  prison,  and  for 
weary  months  suffered  together,  each  cheering  the 
other.  For  some  time  before  Ensign  Porter's  release 
they  were  lodged  in  the  same  room,  and  a  very  strong 
affection  sprung  up  between  them.  "After  Mr.  Por- 
ter's release  from  irons,"  writes  Colonel  Payne,  "he 
managed  to  get  some  old  naval  works  on  navigation, 


TRUE  CHIVALRY.— BENJAMIN  H.  PORTER. 


5G7 


PORTEE.  IN   PEIKON. 


With  a  buoyant  heart  young  Porter  found  his 
steps  directed  toward  his  home.  On  arriving 
at  Richmond  he  was  placed  in  Libby  Prison, 
and  after  ten  days  of  vexatious  delay  was  final- 
ly sent  to  our  lines.  Taking  passage  for  Wash- 
ington he,  with  some  others,  arrived  there  the 
next  day  and  reported  to  the  Navy  Depart- 
ment. Porter  proceeded  that  night  to  New 
York,  where  he  had  a  happy  reunion  with  those 
dear  friends  who  loved  him  so  tenderly,  who 
cherished  him  so  proudly,  and  whose  hearts 
had  bled  with  such  anguish  in  sympathy  with 

and  some  mathematical  books,  and  a  work  on  geom- 
etry. To  these  he  devoted  most  of  his  attention  in 
study,  often  saying  that  he  intended  to  be  the  first  in 
his  class,  on  examination,  when  exchanged." 


his  sufferings  and  his  perils.  His  two  years  of 
toilsome  service,  of  gloomy  imprisonment  of 
hard  fare,  had  left  their  traces  on  his  once 
beaming  and  happy  face.  His  frame  was  ema- 
ciate, his  cheeks  sunken,  and  his  countenance 
bore  a  premature  expression  of  care  and  sad- 
ness. A  few  months  had  done  the  work  of 
years.  He  was  no  longer  the  light-hearted, 
joyous  youth  who  had  so  buoyantly  left  his 
happy  home  but  a  few  months  before,  but  the 
mature  man,  war-worn  and  pressed  down  by  as 
weighty  responsibilities  as  can  ever  rest  upon  a 
human  heart. 

The  reaction  from  the  gloom  of  the  prison  to 
the  glowing  affections  and  comforts  and  en- 
dearments which   now  clustered   around   him 


568 


HARPER'S  NEW  MONTHLY  MAGAZINE. 


were  so  great  that  for  many  nights  he  was  tor- 
tured with  restlessness  and  the  most  hideous 
dreams.  He  was  starving ;  he  was  escaping 
from  prison  ;  he  was  recaptured ;  he  was  dragged 
back  to  dungeons  and  chains  ;  he  toiled  in  vain 
to  unclasp  his  irons  and  they  ate  into  the  bone. 
The  suffering  of  these  nights  was  positive  and 
extreme.  Gradually,  however,  as  parental  love 
so  tenderly  encircled  him  these  impressions  wore 
away,  and  his  countenance  resumed  its  former 
expression  of  beauty  and  of  joyousness. 

Just  before  his  imprisonment  he  had  been 
ordered  to  proceed  to  Newport  to  be  examined 
for  promotion.  It  was  now  necessary  that  this 
should  be  attended  to.  A  special  board  of  ex- 
aminers was  convened  at  Washington,  with  his 
early  friend  Admiral  Goldsborough  at  its  head. 
He  passed  an  excellent  examination,  and  his 
rank  of  Lieutenant  was  dated  back  to  the  pre- 
ceding February,  when  he  was  but  nineteen. 
This  is  probably  the  only  instance  of  that  rank 
being  attained  in  our  navy  at  so  early  an  age. 

Ensign  Porter  was  not  yet  exchanged,  but  was 
liberated  on  his  parole.  He,  however,  report- 
ed to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  in  his  new 
rank  as  Lieutenant,  stating  that  he  was  ready 
and  anxious  for  active  service  as  soon  as  his 
exchange  could  be  effected.  Since  he  was  fif- 
teen years  of  age,  excepting  the  time  of  his  im- 
prisonment, and  while  at  the  Naval  School,  he 
had  spent  less  than  sixty  days  on  shore.  While 
waiting  for  this  release  from  his  parole  he  had 
leave  of  absence,  and  visited  his  childhood's 
home  in  Western  New  York.  In  the  greetings 
with  which  he  was  received  by  his  neighbors, 
friends,  and  old  school-mates,  he  seemed  entire- 
ly unconscious  that  he  had  done  any  thing  worthy 
of  remark,  while  he  was  loud  in  praise  of  the 
exploits  of  his  brother  officers. 

He  had  been  at  home  but  two  days  when  a 
telegram  from  the  Department  announced  his 
exchange,  and  summoned  him  to  report  imme- 
diately to  Admiral  Porter  at  Hampton  Roads. 
He  had  hoped  to  have  spent  Christmas  with 
his  friends,  which  would  have  been  the  first  he 
had  enjoyed  at  home  for  five  years.  But  ere 
that  day  came  he  was  with  the  fleet  thundering 
at  the  walls  of  Port  Fisher.  With  all  possible 
speed  he  hastened  for  Hampton  Roads.  There 
he  found  that  the  squadron  had  already  sailed 
for  Beaufort,  North  Carolina.  Embarking  on 
board  a  transport  he  reached  the  fleet  and  re- 
ported to  the  Admiral.  He  was  warmly  re- 
ceived, and  immediately  placed  in  command 
of  the  flag-ship,  the  Malvern.  The  following 
anecdote  is  related  in  reference  to  his  arrival 
at  the  fleet :  One  of  the  most  distinguished 
Captains,  having  heard  that  Lieutenant  Porter 
had  reached  the  squadron,  ordered  his  boat, 
and,  proceeding  to  the  flag-ship,  asked  for  an 
audience  with  the  Admiral. 

"I  understand,"  he  said,  "that  Lieutenant 
Porter  has  arrived." 

"  Yes,  Sir,"  was  the  reply  of  the  Admiral. 

*'  Well,  I  want  him." 

"  What  do  you  want  him  for  ?" 


"Why,  I  am  short  of  officers,  and  I  know 
him,  and  I  have  written  to  the  Department  for 
him." 

' '  Do  you  want  him  very  much  ?"  the  Ad- 
miral responded. 

"Yes,  Sir." 

"Will  it  make  you  sick  if  you  don't  have 
him?" 

"I  don't  know  but  that  it  will." 

"Well,  you  can't  have  him.  He  commands 
this  ship,  Sir." 

Lieutenant  Porter  passed  through  the  first 
battle  of  Fort  Fisher  safely.  In  planning  the 
second  attack,  as  the  fort  had  been  largely  re- 
inforced and  strengthened,  the  Admiral  deem- 
ed it  necessary,  in  addition  to  the  land  troops, 
to  send  on  shore  all  the  force  which  could  be 
spared  from  the  ships.  About  eighteen  hun- 
dred sailors  and  marines  were  thus  landed. 
Lieutenant  Porter,  carrying  the  Admiral's  flag, 
claimed  the  right  to  lead  the  assaulting  col- 
umn. Just  before  the  conflict  he  wrote  to  his 
mother : 

"We  are  now  off  New  Inlet  once  more,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  taking  Fort  Fisher ;  and  this  time,  by  God's 
blessing,  we  mean  to  do  it.  We  have  General  Terry 
in  command,  and  he  is  young  and  ambitious.  I  hope 
he  will  make  his  men  fight.  It  is  4  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  and  we  are  moving  in  for  the  attack.  We 
will  strike  a  telling  blow  for  Columbia  to-day.  Amer- 
ica expects  every  man  to  do  his  duty,  and  our  gallant 
tars  never  flinch." 

Another  letter  which  he  wrote  to  a  young 
friend  and  companion  in  arms  reveals  the  in- 
ner man — the  ardor  of  his  affections,  the  noble- 
ness and  the  purity  of  his  aspirations,  and  that 
lofty  faith  which  allies  man  to  the  angel.  His 
young  friend  had  recently  become  a  Christian, 
and  the  letter  from  which  we  quote  is  in  re- 
sponse to  one  which  he  had  just  received  from 
that  friend  announcing  this  fact : 

"I  was  made  very  happy  to-day  by  the  receipt  of 
your  letter  of  the  3d  instant.  And,  my  dear  friend, 
although  I  can  not  say  that  I  am  a  Christian,  I  was 
made  happier  than  I  ever  was  in  my  life  before  by 
knowing  that  you,  the  dearest  friend  on  earth  to  me, 
had  at  last  'tacked  ship'  and  become  a  Christian. 
Your  letter  has  made  me  stop  and  review  my  past 
life,  and  I  assure  you  that  my  past  wickedness  really 
frightens  me.  It  seems  as  if  I  had  gone  too  far  to 
hope  for  forgiveness.  It  seems  as  though  God  would 
never  receive  one  so  wicked  as  myself.  But  as  Christ 
died  to  save  us  all  I  shall  hope  that,  by  trying  to  be 
good  the  rest  of  my  life,  his  blood  will  wash  out  my 
many  sins,  and  that  at  last  I  may  stand  at  your  side, 
one  of  our  Heavenly  Father's  chosen.  It  will  be  a 
hard  road  to  travel  for  a  while,  but  I  am  determined 
to  give  up  all  my  old  wicked  habits  and  try  to  the  ut- 
most to  be  a  true  Christian. 

"As  I  said  before,  I  can  not  feel  that  I  am  a  Chris- 
tian, although  I  know  that  Christ  died  to  save  me. 
But  if  God  will  keep  me  I  will  try  and  be  one ;  and  I 
know  that  I  can  succeed  if  I  try,  for  our  Heavenly  Fa- 
ther has  promised  to  listen  to  ail  who  ask  him  with 
their  whole  hearts.  How  could  you  imagine  that  I 
could  love  you  the  less  because  you  are  a  Christian  ? 
No,  no,  Adams,  I  love  you  more,  if  such  a  thing  be 
possible,  than  I  ever  did  before.  And  now  I  beg  you 
to  pray  for  me,  and  ask  God  to  give  me  a  new  heart 
and  teach  me  to  pray.  I  shall  pray  for  you  every 
night. 

"I  am  going  ashore  to  lead  my  men  to  the  charge 
on  Fort  Fisher ;  and  if  God  will  keep  me  from  harm 


TRUE  CHIVALRY.— BENJAMIN  H.  PORTER. 


569 


and  bring  me  out  of  the  fight  in  safety  I  will  try  and 
obtain  a  ten  days'  furlough,  and  then,  my  friend,  I 
will  see  you.  I  have  been  in  command  of  the  flag- 
ship several  weeks,  and  am  very  pleasantly  situated. 
I  expect  that  we  shall  have  a  very  hard  tight,  and  as  I 
am  going  to  assault  the  fort  I  run  a  good  chance  of 
losing  the  number  of  my  mess.  But  if  I  do,  my  ever 
dear  friend,  you  must  remember  that  I  love  you  with 
my  whole  heart,  and  I  know  that  you  will  think  of 
me  sometimes.  I  shall  write  you  again  from  New  In- 
let, and  give  you  an  account  of  the  tight.  Until  then 
I  beg  of  you  to  think  of  me  and  pray  for  me,  and  I 
will  do  the  same  for  you." 

The  following  extract  from  a  letter  written, 
after  the  death  of  Lieutenant  Porter,  hy  the 
friend  to  whom  the  above  letter"  was  addressed 
will  be  read  with  interest.  It  was  written  to 
the  father  of  the  deceased,  under  date  of  April 
3,  1865: 

"I  visited  the  Malvern  a  few  days  since  and  went 
into  poor  Ben's  cabin — a  cozy,  comfortable  little  place 
— and  I  wished  I  could  have  been  alone  for  a  little 
time.  It  was  a  greater  trial  than  I  had  anticipated, 
and  every  thing  seemed  to  bear  a  reference  to  Ben. 

"  Since  I  sailed  I  have  been  through  the  places  where 
we  were  together  years  ago,  or  in  which  he  had  been 
since  we  parted.  I  have  been  daily  and  hourly  brought 
in  contact  with  persons  and  objects  which  have  brought 
him  to  my  mind,  and  every  time  his  memory  is  dearer 
and  purer  than  before.  It  is  now  a  part  of  my  very 
self.  Every  thing  I  undertake  I  wonder  if  that  would 
have  been  his  way  of  doing  it ;  and  his  example  is  the 
model  I  try  to  follow. 

"I  miss  him  in  my  duties  and  in  my  plans,  and  ev- 
ery day  his  absence  seems  more  and  more  unbearable. 
And  every  day  I  feel  a  greater  and  prouder  satisfaction 
in  the  knowledge  that  so  noble  and  gallant  a  hero 
as  Ben  called  himself  my  best-beloved  friend ;  and  I 
thank  my  Heavenly  Father  daily  for  it,  and  for  the 
happy  promise  of  Ben's  eternal  rest  in  His  arms." 

The  terrible  hour  for  the  assault  came. 
Young  Porter,  bearing  the  Admiral's  flag, 
claimed  the  post  of  honor  in  leading  the  head- 
most column  with  the  Malvern  men.  As  he 
left  the  ship,  with  the  flag  in  his  hand,  he  said, 
"Admiral,  this  shall  be  the  first  flag  on  the 
fort."  Admiral  Porter's  own  son,  but  seven- 
teen years  of  age,  went  by  his  side.  But  Lieu- 
tenant Porter's  hour  had  come.  Accompanied 
by  two  of  his  best  friends,  and  two  of  the  most 
heroic  young  men  the  war  has  developed — 
Lieutenants  W.  B.  Cushing  and  S.  W.  Preston 
— he  took  his  place  at  the  head  of  the  column. 
Under  a  heavy  fire  from  the  enemy's  guns, 
which  exposed  them  to  instant  death,  they  ad- 
vanced, about  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  to 
within  four  hundred  yards  of  the  immense 
works  of  the  foe.  They  then  threw  themselves 
upon  the  sand,  and  remained  there  quietly 
talking  while  the  battle  raged  with  deafening 
roar,  and  thousands  of  shells  were  hurtled 
through  the  air  over  their  heads,  as  the  majes- 
tic fleet  and  equally  majestic  fort  exchanged 
bombardments.  At  last  the  signal  was  given 
to  charge.  They  sprang  to  their  feet.  The 
only  survivor  of  the  three  young  men,  Lieu- 
tenant W.  B.  Cushing,  the  hero  of  the  Albe- 
marle capture,  whose  fame  can  never  die,  thus 
describes  the  scene  which  ensued : 

"  Ben  looked  grave  and  determined,  and  I  remem- 
ber being  much  impressed  by  his  supremely  noble 
bearing.    In  a  moment  we  were  under  a  terrific  tire, 


and  the  men  commenced  to  get  confused.  It  needed 
all  the  pluck  and  daring  that  man  can  have  to  lead 
and  give  confidence  to  the  sailors  in  charging  up  that 
bare  and  level  beach.  Ben  threw  himself  to  the  front, 
flag  in  hand,  and  the  charge  went  on.  We  were  all 
three  in  uniform,  perhaps  rashly,  but  it  has  ever  been 
the  pride  of  naval  officers  to  wear,  amidst  the  smoke 
of  battle,  the  same  lace  that  denotes  their  rank  when 
enjoying  the  pleasures  of  society. 

"At  the  palisade,  by  the  ditch  that  surrounds  the 
fort,  Ben  fell,  shot  through  the  breast.  His  last  words 
were,  '  Carry  me  down  to  the  beach.'  Four  of  the 
Malvern's  and  Monticello's  men  raised  him  and  tried 
to  comply.  Two  were  killed.  He  waved  the  others 
aside  with  a  last  motion,  and  died,  with  as  sweet  a 
smile  as  I  could  paint  with  words.  I  doubt  not  that 
some  world  met  his  dying  eyes  where  spirits  so  pure, 
so  noble,  so  brave  as  his  meet  with  an  eternal  and 
great  reward.  The  blood-stained  fortress  where  he 
fell  will  stand  forever  a  monument  of  tender  and  sor- 
rowful recollections  to  us  all.  It  would  be  idle  to 
measure  a  brother  officer's  regards  by  a  parent's  love  ; 
but  he  carries  the  respect  and  affection  of  all  to  the 
grave,  and  has  left  a  navy  of  mourners." 

His  friend  and  companion  Lieutenant  S.  W. 
Preston  fell  almost  at  the  same  moment,  and 
together  the  spirits  of  these  two  noble  young 
men  took  their  flight  to  their  celestial  home, 
where,  we  trust,  clustering  angels  gathered  to 
greet  them.  Fleet-Captain  K.  R.  Breese,  in 
his  Report  to  the  Admiral,  pays  the  following 
beautiful  tribute  to  the  memory  of  these  two 
young  men,  who  so  cheerfully  sacrificed  their 
lives  for  their  country  : 

"Lieutenant  S.  W.  Preston,  after  accomplishing 
most  splendidly  the  work  assigned  to  him  by  you, 
which  was  both  dangerous  and  laborious,  under  con- 
stant tire,  came  to  me,  as  my  aid,  for  orders.  Showing 
no  flagging  of  spirit  or  of  body,  and  returning  from 
the  rear,  where  he  had  been  sent,  he  fell,  among  the 
foremost  at  the  front,  as  he  had  lived,  the  embodiment 
of  a  United  States  naval  officer. 

"Lieutenant  Porter,  conspicuous  by  his  figure  and 
uniform,  as  well  as  by  his  great  gallantly,  claimed  the 
right  to  lead  the  headmost  column  with  the  Malvern 
men  he  had  taken  with  him,  carrying  your  flag,  and 
he  fell  at  its  very  head.  Two  more  noble  spirits  the 
world  never  saw ;  nor  had  the  navy  ever  two  more  in- 
trepid men.  Young,  talented,  and  handsome,  the 
bravest  of  the  brave,  pure  in  their  lives — surely  their 
names  deserve  something  more  than  a  passing  men- 
tion, and  are  worthy  to  be  handed  down  to  posterity 
with  the  greatest  and  best  of  naval  heroes." 

There  is  heart-touching  pathos  in  the  follow- 
ing letter  of  condolence  from  Admiral  Porter 
to  the  bereaved  mother : 

"Tour  gallant  son  was  my  beau-ideal  of  an  officer. 
His  heart  was  filled  with  gallantry  and  love  of  coun- 
try. It  must  be  a  dreadful  blow  to  lose  such  a  son.  It 
was  a  dreadful  blow  to  me  to  lose  such  an  officer.  My 
associations  with  my  officers  are  not  those  of  a  com- 
mander. We  are  like  comrades,  and  form  fond  attach- 
ments to  each  other.  When  they  fall  I  feel  as  if  I  had 
lost  one  of  my  own  family.  Your  son  was  captain  of 
my  flag-ship,  and  a  favorite  with  me  and  all  who  knew 
him. 

"He  was  brave  to  a  fault.  I  shall  never  forget  the 
day  he  left  the  ship,  with  my  flag  in  his  hand,  saying, 
'Admiral,  this  shall  be  the  first  flag  on  the  fort.'  My 
own  son,  a  lad  of  seventeen,  went  by  his  side,  and  was 
with  him  when  he  fell,  with  my  flag  in  his  hand,  trying 
to  reach  the  enemy's  ramparts,  from  whence  the  mur- 
derous wretches  were  firing  thousands  of  muskets  into 
our  brave  fellows. 

"  That  was  a  wretched  night  for  me.  Your  son  was 
reported  killed,  and  mine,  last  seen  at  his  side,  was 
missing  till  late  in  the  night.  I  could  imagine  his  fa- 
ther's anguish,  and  I  could  imagine  yours.    I  have  no 


570 


HARPER'S  NEW  MONTHLY  MAGAZINE. 


consolation  to  give  you,  unless  to  console  you  with  the 
certainty  of  meeting  in  a  better  world  than  this.  I 
have  gone  through  a  great  deal  in  this  war.  For  four 
years  I  have  been  but  one  month  with  my  family.  I 
have  seen  my  official  family  cut  down  one  after  anoth- 
er, and  my  heart  is  so  sad  that  I  feel  as  if  I  could  never 
smile  again. 

"Among  all  the  young  men  who  have  been  on  my 
staff  no  one  had  my  entire  confidence  more  than  your 
lost  son— lost  only  for  a  time.  You  will  find  "him 
again  where  all  is  peace  and  joy.  1  would  like  to  drink 
of  the  waters  of  Lethe  and  forget  the  last  four  years." 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  the  best  of  men 
feel  their  sins  far  more  deeply  than  do  the  worst. 
Young  Porter  felt  that  he  was  a  "great  sinner" 
in  the  sight  of  God.  And  yet  so  unblemished 
were  his  morals,  and  there  was  such  maidenly 
purity  in  his  character,  that,  to  his  friends,  he 
appeared  without  a  stain.  When  we  see  such 
a  one  shedding  tears  of  penitence,  breathing 


prayers  for  pardon,  hungering  for  a  more  holy 
life,  pleading  for  renewal  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
and  casting  himself  upon  the  merits  of  the  great 
atonement,  and  when  we  remember  that  he 
cheerfully  sacrificed  his  life  for  the  most  sacred 
cause  in  which  men  ever  drew  the  sword,  it  is 
not  without  reason  that  we  feel  assured  that  an- 
gels bore  him  on  their  wings  to  his  celestial 
home. 

The  morning  after  the  battle  Admiral  Porter 
dispatched  a  steamer  for  Norfolk  with  the  bod- 
ies of  Lieutenants  Porter  and  Preston  escort- 
ed by  Lieutenant  Saunders,  a  friend  of  the  de- 
ceased. Thence  the  body  of  Lieutenant  Por- 
ter, in  a  metallic  case,  was  forwarded  to  his 
friends  in  New  York  by  express.  Commodore 
Paulding  was  anxious  to  honor  the  memory  of 
the  departed  by  a  public  funeral,  and  General 


THE  CHILDREN  IN  THE  MOON. 


571 


Bnrnside  expressed  a  wish  that  the  land  troops 
might  join  in  the  procession.  But  the  grief  of 
his  friends  was  so  deep  that  they  had  no  heart 
for  the  public  display,  and  they  chose  to  retire 
with  the  remains  of  their  loved  one  to  his  birth- 
place that  he  might  sleep  by  the  side  of  his 
brother  and  sister. 

And  as  the  precious  body  sank  into  the  grave 
the  anguish  of  both  father  and  mother  found 
solace  in  gratitude  that  God  had  given  them 
the  remains  to  bury ;  for  another  son  of  this 
patriot  family,  the  peer  of  Benjamin  in  all  those 
traits  which  ennoble  man,  had  previously  fallen 
in  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run.  Two  jour- 
neys the  heart-stricken  father  made  to  that  field, 
where  treason  had  so  cruelly  robbed  him  of  his 
boy,  and  twice  he  returned  to  his  desolated  home, 
having  searched  the  graves  in  vain  to  find  the 


body  of  his  son.  It  would  be  a  comfort  to  weep- 
ing friends  could  the  remains  of  these  noble 
brothers  slumber  side  by  side  here  below.  But 
it  is  a  greater  comfort  to  feel  assured  that  their 
spirits  have  met  in  heaven ;  that  there  they  are 
now,  brother  angels,  hand  clasping  hand  and 
heart  beating  responsive  to  heart  in  joys  which 
shall  never  fade  away. 

Near  the  banks  of  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
lakes  which  gem  the  Empire  State  the  remains 
of  Benjamin  H.  Porter  now  repose,  awaiting  the 
resurrection  summons.  He  sleeps  with  many 
of  his  loved  kindred  around  him.  And  who- 
ever drops  a  tear  over  his  grave  may  say  :  "  Ben- 
jamin H.  Porter  merits  these  tears,  for  he  was 
a  cherished  son,  a  noble  brother,  a  brilliant  of- 
ficer, a  warm-hearted  friend,  and  a  humble 
Christian." 


THE  CHILDREN  IN  THE  MOON. 


Hearken,  child,  unto  a  story ! 

For  the  moon  is  in  the  sky, 
And  across  her  shield  of  silver, 

See !  two  tiny  cloudlets  fly. 

Watch  them  closely,  mark  them  sharply, 
As  across  the  light  they  pass — 

Seem  they  not  to  have  the  figures 
Of  a  little  lad  and  lass? 

See,  my  child,  across  their  shoulders 

Lies  a  little  pole !  and,  lo ! 

Yonder  speck  is  just  the  bucket, 

Swinging  softly  to  and  fro. 

It  is  said,  these  little  children, 

Many  and  many  a  summer  night, 

To  a  little  well  far  northward 
Wandered  in  the  still  moonlight. 

To  the  way-side  well  they  trotted, 
Filled  their  little  buckets  there, 

And  the  Moon-man,  looking  downward, 
Saw  how  beautiful  they  were. 

Quoth  the  man,  "  How  vexed  and  sulky 

Looks  the  little  rosy  boy! 
But  the  little  handsome  maiden 

Trips  behind  him  full  of  joy. 

"  To  the  well  behind  the  hedgerow 
Trot  the  little  lad  and  maiden ; 

From  the  well  behind  the  hedgerow 
Now  the  little  pail  is  laden. 


"How  they  please  me !  how  they  tempt  me 
Shall  I  snatch  them  up  to-night  ? 

Snatch  them,  set  them  here  forever 
In  the  middle  of  my  light? 

"  Children,  ay,  and  children's  children 
Should  behold  my  babes  on  high, 

And  my  babes  should  smile  forever, 
Calling  others  to  the  sky ! " 

Thus  the  philosophic  Moon-man 

Muttered  many  years  ago, 
Set  the  babes  with  pole  and  bucket, 

To  delight  the  folks  below. 

Never  is  the  bucket  empty, 

Never  are  the  children  old ; 
Ever  when  the  moon  is  shining 

We  the  children  may  behold. 

Ever  young  and  ever  little, 

Ever  sweet  and  ever  fair! 
When  thou  art  a  man,  my  darling, 

Still  the  children  will  be  there ! 

Ever  young  and  ever  little, 

They  will  smile  when  thou  art  old ; 
When  thy  locks  are  thin  and  silver, 

Theirs  will  still  be  shining  gold. 

They  will  haunt  you  from  their  heaven, 
Softly  beckoning  down  the  gloom — 

Smiling  in  eternal  sweetness 
On  thy  cradle,  on  thy  tomb ! 


u2 


HARPER'S  NEW  MONTHLY  MAGAZINE. 


HHI*  ^"V< 


THE  SHADED  STREAM. 


I  know  a  stream  whose  rippling  current  flows 
By  shady  banks  whereon  the  white-birch  grows, 
And  beechcn  trees  that  darkly  interlace 
Their  spreading  branches  in  a  close  embrace, 
Like  loving  friends  who  stand  on  either  side 
And  stretch  their  arms  across  the  murmuring  tide. 

There  moss-grown  rocks,  half  hid  in  tall  green  fern, 
Whichever  way  the  gazer's  eye  may  turn, 
Along  the  borders  of  the  stream  abound ; 
There,  too,  the  iris  by  the  brink  is  found; 
And  thirsty  cattle  come  at  noon  to  lave 
Their  heated  fetlocks  in  its  brimming  wave. 

With  many  a  curve  it  takes  its  devious  way, 
While  through  the  leaves  the  yellow  sunbeams  play, 
And  softly  round  the  denser  shadows  fall 
Prom  the  laced  boughs  where  thrush  and  cat-bird  call ; 
And  broad-leaved  water-weeds,  of  glossiest  green, 
In  separate  clusters  by  the  shores  are  seen. 

In  Spring  when  balmy  south  winds  softly  blow, 
And  quickly  fades  the  last  long  streak  of  snow, 
On  either  bank  the  trembling  violet  blooms, 
Preferring  most  the  unfrequented  glooms; 
And  from  his  safe  and  rocky-guarded  lair 
Comes  forth  the  trout  the  angler's  skill  to  dare. 


When  Summer's  genial  warmth  the  wide  air  fills, 

And  draws  a  veil  about  the  purple  hills, 

So  thickly  gathers  then  the  leafy  screen 

No  ray  of  sunlight  finds  its  way  between, 

Save  here  and  there  a  truant  golden  beam 

That  struggles  through  to  light  the  shaded  stream. 

But  most  I  love  to  linger  by  the  side 
Of  that  sweet  stream  in  mellow  Autumn's  tide, 
When  overhead  the  beach  leaves  gather  brown, 
And  beechen  nuts  come  gently  pattering  down; 
And  all  the  woodland's  rich  autumnal  glow 
Is  seen  reflected  in  the  stream  below. 

But  captive  now,  with  neither  stir  nor  sound, 
In  iron  Winter's  icy  fetters  bound, 
No  more  by  shadowy  banks  where  broad  ferns  grow, 
With  devious  course,  its  voiceless  currents  flow ; 
And  leafless  now  the  woodland  monarchs  grind 
Their  barren  branches  in  the  wintry  wind. 

Ah !  many  a  time  with  friends  my  heart  holds  dear 
I've  lingered  by  that  stream  while  yet  the  year 
Was  in  its  green  and  glowing  Summer  prime, 
Or  in  the  golden  Autumn's  fruitful  time; 
And  eager  longings,  not  unmixed  with  pain, 
Stir  in  my  breast  to  tread  its  shores  again. 


